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Fulton County Judge Jerry Baxter will hand down sentences to 11 convicted teachers and educators, who face up to 20 years in prison on one count alone, violating Georgia’s Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. The eight convicted on additional counts could get more time.

Ten of those convicted are being held in the Fulton County jail until sentencing today. The 11th former educator, first grade teacher Shani Robinson, is expecting a baby this month. Baxter allowed her to remain free on bond until her sentencing in August.

All total, 32 former educators were convicted, counting the 21 who pleaded guilty to lesser charges before the trial’s start last year. Two others, including former Atlanta schools Superintendent Beverly Hall, died before they could be tried.

One of the 12 defendants who went to trial – which ended April 1 — retired Dobbs Elementary School teacher Dessa Curb, was acquitted.

Stay tuned to AJC.com for live coverage of the sentencing.

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The problem that I have with this whole case, is the fact that the
teachers who believed they were innocent and wanted a fair trial by
their peers didn't get it. Under the RICO guidelines in this case they
were guilty by association. For example, if you new your boss was doing
something wrong and didn't say anything for fear you would lose your
job, under RICO, you would be guilty by association. If you live in the
Atlanta area, this decision by the Prosecutor to charge these teachers
with Racketeering should scare you to death. We haven't seen a Justice
System this corrupt since the McCarthy Hearings in 1954. The total
amount of bonus money for the 11 people convicted amounted to less than
3,000
dollars. The majority of the educators who were convicted didn't
receive a dime. Just take a second and think about the fact that the
prosecution in this case spent millions in tax payers dollars to
prosecute these teachers. The real crime in this case is the fact the
DA's office had a political agenda in this case and would stop at
nothing to prove their point. History once again will be the true judge
of these teachers and as in the McCarthy Hearings it will prove the
real criminals in this case weren't the teachers that were found guilty,
but the politicians and prosecutors! (Follow the money, for the truth!)

The problem that I have with this whole case, is the fact that the
teachers who believed they were innocent and wanted a fair trial by
their peers didn't get it. Under the RICO guidelines in this case they
were guilty by association. For example, if you new your boss was doing
something wrong and didn't say anything for fear you would lose your
job, under RICO, you would be guilty by association. If you live in the
Atlanta area, this decision by the Prosecutor to charge these teachers
with Racketeering should scare you to death. We haven't seen a Justice
System this corrupt since the McCarthy Hearings in 1954. The total
amount of bonus money for the 11 people convicted amounted to less than
3,000
dollars. The majority of the educators who were convicted didn't
receive ad dime. Just take a second and think about the fact that the
prosecution in this case spent millions in tax payers dollars to
prosecute these teachers. The real crime in this case is the fact the
DA's office had a political agenda in this case and would stop at
nothing to prove their point. History once again will be the true judge
of these teachers and as in the McCarthy Hearings it will prove the
real criminals in this case weren't the teachers that were found guilty,
but the politicians and prosecutors! (Follow the money, for the truth!)

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